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YATESVILLE — Shane Noonan paced back and forth behind his Hazleton Area teammates for more than an hour on Saturday afternoon.

The Hazleton Area 220-pounder, who is ranked No. 1 in the state in some rankings but no lower than third in others, waited for his chance to wrestle in the District 2 Class 3A Duals finals against Delaware Valley at Pittston Area High School.

Noonan watched all 13 weight classes and he never saw his team take a lead over the Warriors.

“I was shaking the whole match,” Noonan said. “We had all these ups and downs where you’re like ‘Oh my gosh, yes’ then you’re like ‘Oh no.’ It was very nerve-racking.”

Then came his turn with his team down three points, and the undefeated Cougar didn’t disappoint.

Noonan pinned Delaware Valley’s Jose Falcon in 3:54, lifting his team to a 33-30 victory and its second District Duals title in three years.

It was the second time the state qualifier lifted the Cougars to a duals title. Two years ago, he won the last match against DelVal by a tech fall to clinch the win.

“I’m glad I was the one that got to end it off and punch our ticket to Hershey. It was the best feeling in the world,” Noonan said. “I saw the scoreboard and that we were down three, so I was thinking major, tech, pin, one of those three will punch our ticket to Hershey. And I was just pushing the pace and trying my hardest to get that fall to send us to states.”

The Cougars advance to the PIAA Team Championships, which start on Thursday at Hershey’s Giant Center. They will face District 1 champion Council Rock South at 6 p.m. CRS defeated Spring-Ford 42-25 to claim the district title.

With a hammer like Noonan anchoring the lineup, Warriors coach Lou DeLauro told Falcon to try to do his best. And Falcon stayed with Noonan for the entire first period and kept the score close in that period. But against the Cougar, who is the only unbeaten in District 2 with a 31-0 mark and 21 pins, it was a tough task to do it for a whole match.

“We didn’t want it to come down to Jose against Noonan. Noonan is the real deal,” DeLauro said. “We were hoping to have a little bigger lead going into that match.”

The only time the Cougars led in the match was after Noonan’s win. They trailed the Warriors by as many as 15 points, down 24-9 at the halfway point of the dual.

Little by little Hazleton Area closed the deficit. Charles Everdale (145) and Bryce Molinaro (152) each won by decisions to pull the team within 24-15. But DelVal won two of the next three weights to go up 30-21 with two matches remaining.

At 195, Seth Hunsinger energized his team. The sophomore picked up a fall in 1:24 over Matt Daub to cut the DelVal lead to 30-27.

“I was excited. I was ready to wrestle I was like ‘Let me have this match,’” Noonan added. “Seth is such a good kid and he’s such a good wrestler, I’m so glad that he’s my workout partner everyday because we push each other and it’s only making both of us better.”

That set the stage for Noonan’s heroics once again. And with the championship on the line, there was no better wrestler for Hazleton Area coach Keith Maurer to wanted out there.

“I don’t think it’s a secret, Shane is a household name, people in wrestling know who he is,” Maurer said. “He’s been wrestling since he was small, he’s a very good wrestler and he’s really coming into his own and right now he’s on fire.”

District 2 Class 3A Final

Hazleton Area 33, Delaware Valley 30

106: Johnny Corra (Haz) pinned Connor Crescimanno 1:14; 113: Travis Norman (DV) pinned Michael Martinez 3:19; 120: Beck Hutchison (Haz) dec CJ Ross 8-3; 126: Preston Machado (DV) pinned Jorven Rodriguez :43; 132: Joe Casella (DV) dec Christian Kislan 9-4; 138: Jack Dardia (DV) dec Stephen Martisofski 7-3; 145: Charles Everdale (Haz) dec Cooper Kidd 9-5; 152: Bryce Molinaro (Haz) dec Machias Magill 4-3; 160: Gavin Brazinskas (DV) dec Dante Matarella 5-1; 170: Jake Marnell (Haz) pinned Damien Lobello 5:25; 182: Jason Henderson (DV) dec Jayson Brielmeier 9-5; 195: Seth Hunsinger (Haz) pinned Matt Daub 1:24; 220: Shane Noonan (Haz) pinned Jose Falcon 3:54; 285: Gabe Ortiz (DV) won by forfeit

Note: Match started at 285 pounds

Class 3A Results

Consolation

Abington Heights 45, Dallas 26

West Scranton 37, Honesdale 31

Third Place

Abington Heights 35, West Scranton 27

Hazleton Area Wrestling assistant coach Matt Starrick celebrates with his team after Hazleton Area’s Seth Hunsinger defeated Deleware Valley’s Matt Daub during Saturday’s District 2 Class 3A Duals finals at Pittston Area High School.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_TTL020319Wrestling1.jpeg.jpg.optimal.jpgHazleton Area Wrestling assistant coach Matt Starrick celebrates with his team after Hazleton Area’s Seth Hunsinger defeated Deleware Valley’s Matt Daub during Saturday’s District 2 Class 3A Duals finals at Pittston Area High School. Sean McKeag | For Times Leader

Deleware Valley’s Jason Henderson, bottom, and Hazleton Area’s Jayson Brielmeier wrestle in the 182-pound bout during Saturday’s District 2 Class 3A Duals finals at Pittston Area High School.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_TTL020319Wrestling2.jpeg.jpg.optimal.jpgDeleware Valley’s Jason Henderson, bottom, and Hazleton Area’s Jayson Brielmeier wrestle in the 182-pound bout during Saturday’s District 2 Class 3A Duals finals at Pittston Area High School. Sean McKeag | For Times Leader

Deleware Valley’s Travis Norman locks up Hazleton Area’s Michael Martinez during Saturday’s District 2 Class 3A Duals finals at Pittston Area High School.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_TTL020319Wrestling3.jpeg.jpg.optimal.jpgDeleware Valley’s Travis Norman locks up Hazleton Area’s Michael Martinez during Saturday’s District 2 Class 3A Duals finals at Pittston Area High School. Sean McKeag | For Times Leader
220-pounder’s win give Hazleton Area D2-3A title

By Dave Rosengrant

For Times Leader

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